Motor vehicle driver&#39;s seating arrangement



Dec. 2, 1952 c. H. VINCENT 2,620,042

MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS SEATING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 15, 194e; 2 sHEETssHsrzT 1 @fl- /f Dec. 2, 1952 c. H. VINCENT MOTOR VEHICLE DErvEEs SEATING AEEANGEMENT 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed April l5. 1948 Patented Dec. 2, 1952 MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS SEATING ARRANGEMENT Charles H. Vincent, Avo Packard Motor Car Co corporation of Michga ca, Mich., assignor to mpany, Detroit, Mich., a n

Application April 15, 1948, Serial No. 21,189 7 Claims. (Cl. 180-77) The present invention relates to motor vehicles and particularly to improvements in motor vehicle body constructions, and to the accommodations provided for the operators of such vehicles.

A motor vehicle operator must, while seated, be able to reach and manipulate at least several control members, including the hand operated steering wheel and one or more foot opvide maximum safety for himself and others and i-n order to minimize fatigue when it is necessary for him to drive the vehicle for long periods of time without resting. It is important posture of the operator be a natural one in order that safe operation be realized and driving fatigue be minimized, and it is particularly important that the foot pedal or foot pedals which the operator must actuate from time to time, sometimes with great suddenness, should at all times be within the convenient reach of the operators foot, or feet, when he is sitting naturally upon the seat which is provided.

It is customary to provide motor vehicle bodies with operators seats which may be adjusted longitudinally of the vehicles in which they are installed, in order to enable a seated operator to shorten or lengthen the distance between the seat and the foot pedals. It is not customary, however, to provide steering wheels of adjustable type and, as is well known, a seat adjustment which enables an operator to conveniently reach the control pedal or pedals may place him erator changes the pos1t1on of the operators seat with respect to the pedals, by sliding it forwardly or rearwardly, the direction of the natural line of thrust of his foot against the usual control pedal also changes, whereas the control pedals themselves do not change position and hence may be most easily and conveniently manipulated by the operator only when the operators seat is in one certain position.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a vehicle body having a novel and improved relationship of drivers seat and control instrumentalities whereby an operator, regardless of size or physical peculiarities, may, by making simple adjustments, bring about a desired relationship between the seat upon which he rests and the foot pedal or pedals which he must necessarily manipulate. Preferably the seat is disposed to tilt in a fore and aft vertical are mounted upon a pedal support which may be adjusted longitudinally of the vehicle and also tilted or angularly adjusted in a. longitudinal vertical plane. A simple form of seat tilting and pedal support moving mechanism is provided, this mechanism including a manually 0perable element positioned conveniently within the reach of the seated operator and the mechanism being of such character that he can readily adjust the seat and pedal support from time to time in accordance with his desires, the seat and pedal support remaining locked in adjusted position until some move is made to change that position.

The pedal support is preferably mounted for sliding movement along a trackway which is upwardly and forwardly inclined, for instance being arcuate, the arrangement being such that, as the seat is tilted forwardly the pedal support is moved rearwardly and is angularly adto elevate the pedal slightly and incline its angle of movement more steeply to the horizontal. The pedal support is of novel character and the pedals which are mounted thereon are connected by electrical or flexible mechanical means to the mechanisms or instrumentalities which they are to control, such flexible connections bei-ng necessary inasmuch as the pedal support is movable and the clutches, braking mechanisms or the like to be controlled are fixed with respect to the vehicle body. Thus the pedals, instead of being connected by conventional means with the mechanisms to be operated or controlled, may be associated with hydraulic cylinders so that, when depressed, fluid under pressure will be transmitted through a flexible hose to the part to be operated. Alternatively, the pedals may be connected to and actuate valves, or electrical switches, these valves or switches being connected by exible wire or tubes to parts which are not bodily movable with respect to the vehicle body. One skilled in the art .will recognize that the invention may be carried into practice in various ways and that, without departure therefrom, the design and arrangement of the various component elements may be considerably modified. That form of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings is, therefore, set forth by way of example only.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a, horizontal section through portion of a vehicle body, looking down upon the pedal supportI and the means for eiiecting adjustment of the drivers seat, the drivers seat being indicated in chain lines;

Figure 2 is a section on line V2---2 of lFigure l.;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through portion of the vehicle body showing, on a larger scale, the end of the operators seat and the means for efecting adjustment of that sea-t;

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a section on line G- of Figure l; and Y.

Figure 7 is a section on line 'I-l of Figure 4.

I8 being thus raised or lowered asl desired. The

motion of arm 34 is, of course, communicated to shaft I9 through the worm and worm wheel and a second operating handle 39 is fixed on the I upper end vof the worm shaft 40 so that the The vehicle body may vary widely in shape y and in details of construction. That which is shown in part is diagraminatically illustrated and comprises a floor board I0, side walls II and a transverse partition I2 forming portion of the dash. The operatorsseat is generally indicated at S and, in Figure 2 of the drawings, the position .ofan operator, when in position to manipulate ,the steering wheel andv othercontrols of the vehicle, is generally indicatedat O. The seat S is pivotally supported for rotation about a transverse axis which is just below the forward edge oi the seat, three or more brackets or pedestals yI4 bolted-or otherwise secured lto the floor of the vehicle supr'norting the transversely extending rod I5, and bearing members I6 .secured to the undersurface of the frame ci the seat having aligned apertures which receive this rod. Other means pivotal movement about a transverse axis which lies beneath its forward portion may, of course, be employed. 1

The seat is supported, adjacent its rear edge` upon two or more cams I8 which are fixed upon the transversely extending 'shaft I3, this shaft being rotatably supported in bearing or bracket members V2d fixed to the floor of the vehicle. By rotation of rod I9 the seat supporting cams I8r may vb e manipulated to raise or lower the rear of the seat and thus rock orv tilt `the seat about the axis'of rod I5 located' beneath 'its forward edge. IThe operator may readily effect this tilting movement by grasping and rotating the conveniently positioned wheel orhandle 22 which is `located inthe `space `between the end of the seat and the wall of the vehicle.

Handle 22 is fixed upon the upper end of a rotatable spindle or shaft 23 Vcarried in a bearing 24 rigidly mountedV upon the vehicle body, collars 25 and 26 pinned `to the shaft-23 holding this. shaftagainst vertical movement while permitting it to be rotated freely. The mid-portion of the shaft 23 is of'enlarged .diameter and is threaded as at 2B. The rotatable vertically disposed adjusting shaft 23 is operatively connected to the horizontal shaft I9 this operative connection including ,a worm wheel 3Q keyed on shaft I9, a bracket 3l having spaced sleeve-like portions 3Ia. freely mounted -on shaft I9 on opposite sides of the wor-rn'wheel, and a worm 33 the teeth of which mesh with those of worm wheel 30, the shaft of worm 33 being rotatably supported in -spaced elements Stb of the bracket 3I., an arm 34 rigid with bracket 3| extending toward shaft 23 Yand having a bifurcated end the parallel elements 34a thereof being disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle shaft 23. Each .of thesev elements 34a. of arm 3'4 is slotted, asat 34h, and these slots receive, respectively, Apins 36 extendfor supporting the seat ior f.-

' example member angularity of shaft I9 and cams I8 with respect to arm. 34 may be changed from time to time as desired.

The pedal support is indicated at 42 and comprises any suitable means for supporting one or more pedals, those portions of the pedals which arek adapted to be engaged by the foot of the operator being indicated at 43. rlhe details of construction of the pedals support may be varied widely, as will be apparent, but in any event will carry one or more pedals and some means which has the capacity to communicate the movements of the pedal or pedals to the part or parts to be :actuated when the pedal is moved and which means is of flexible nature so that any pedalV may move with .respect to the associated part without interrupting the operative connection between the two. B'y way of "43 may be mounted upon a vlower end of which is'rigidly attached to a piston 45 which works against a spring 48 within the cylinder 41. A 'port 43 in the opposite end of thecylinder 41 is in constant communication with a flexible tube 50 which connects the cylinder 4l to a fluid responsive device of conventional nature and which may actuate a brake, clutch yor other instrumentality to be controlled.

T-he support 42 as a whole is provided with supporting rollers 52 which are disposed inthe parallel forwardly 'and upwardly curved grooves or trackways 54 which are fixed to the oor I0 of the vehicle. Bodily movement in a fore and aft direction of the pedal support 42 may, therefore,1be readily effected and, when such movement occurs, the pedal support as a whole is rocked or tilted in a fore and aft vertical plane, changing the angularity of the piston'rods or plungers '44, these rods becoming more erect as the pedal support moves rearwardly and less erect as the pedalsupport is moved forwardly. A bellows like flexible tubular connection 55 between the forward end .of the pedal support 42 and the rear face of the dash I2 encircles the aperture in the pedal support through which the flexible connections 5I) extend and thus confines any fumes emanating from the engine compartment which might otherwise escape.

The means for forwardly .and rearwardly adjusting the pedal support 42 is of simple nature, comprising two substantially vertical arms 56 the upper ends of which vare connected to the .pedal support and the lower ends of which are 'xed upon a transverse shaft 56a supported for l rotation in brackets 5'I rigidly secured to the body. One of the arms 56 is connectedwby means of a link extending downwardly from the bracket 3l previously described. This connection is such, therefore, that, when handle 22 is rotated to revolve the shaft V'23 in one direction-the seat S will )be tilted upwardly about the axis of -rod thrust rod 44 the "I5 and the pedal support 42 will be simulta- Y 58 to an arm 59 -rigid with and neously drawn rearwardly toward the seat and, at the same time, rocked in a vertical fore and aft plane so that the members 44 become more vertical and the foot receiving brackets 43 of the pedals are more suitably presented for engagement by the feet of the operator. It is desirable to interconnect the tilting seat and the pedal support in this manner since, if the distance between the seat and pedal support is to be decreased the members 44 should be inclined more steeply to the horizontal to promote the operators comfort. When the operator so desires the pedal support may be moved forwardly and the members 43 lowered, the seat being at the same time allowed to tilt toward the rear of the car. Thus operators having different physical characteristics may readily adjust the seat and pedals to suit their own individual requirements.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secu-red by Letters Patent is:

l. A motor vehicle comprising :a body, a seat for the operator, a control pedal adapted to be engaged by the foot of an operator positioned on said seat, a support upon which the control pedal is mounted for movement, relatively to the support, upon the application of force by of the vehicle operator, said support being mounted on the body of the vehicle in advance of the op-erators seat so as to be movable as an entirety toward and away from said seat, an operating element movably mounted on the body and positioned within reach of an operator on said seat, and means permanently connecting the said support and element where- -by the support may be adjusted fore and aft of the vehicle body relatively to the seat and locked against movement in any desired position of adjustment.

2. A motor vehicle comprising a body, a seat for the operator, a control pedal adapted to be engaged by the foot of an operator positioned on said seat, a support upon which the control pedal is mounted for movement, relatively to the support, upon the application of force by the foot of the vehicle operator, said support being mounted on the body of the vehicle in advance of the operators seat so as to be movable as an entirety toward and away from said seat, and angularly in a fore and aft vertical plane, an operating element movably mounted on the body within reach of an operator positioned on said seat, and mechanism including a mechanical linkage permanently connecting said element and support for adjusting the position of the support and its associated pedal angularly with respect to, and toward and away from, the seat of the operator when said element is actuated, said mechanism being adapted to maintain said support in any position to which it may be adjusted.

3. A motor vehicle comprising a body, a seat for the operator, a control pedal adapted to be engaged by the foot of an operator positioned on said seat, a support upon which the control pedal is mounted for movement relatively to the support upon the application of force by the foot of the operator, means mounting the support upon the vehicle body in advance of the operators seat for movement as an entirety along an arcuate path extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle, an operating element movably mounted on the body within reach of an operator positioned on said seat, and mechanism including a mechanical linkage permanently connecting said element and support for moving said support with its associated pedal along said arcuate path to distance between the ment of the support.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said mounting means defines an :arcuate path extending forwardly and upwardly so that the pedal support is tilted rearwardly as it is moved away from the seat.

5. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a vehicle body, an operators seat mounted on said body for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to said body, a pedal support mounted on the body in advance of the operators seat so as to be movable as an entirety toward and away from said seat, a pedal movably mounted on said mechanism connecting said operating element to the said device and pedal support which, when actuated by said element, will effect tilting of said seat and movement of the pedal support relatively to the operators seat.

6. 'I'he combination set forth in claim 5 in which said device includes a plurality of cams each of which contacts the undersurface of the seat, a transversely disposed shaft upon which the cams are fixed, and a lever operatively connected to said shaft, the said operating element being in engagement with said lever and adapted to actuate the same and maintain it in any position to which it may be adjusted.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said device includes a plurality of cams each of which contacts the seat and a transversely disposed rock shaft upon which the cams are mounted, and said mechanism includes a lever connected to the shaft for rocking the same, the connection between lever and shaft including a worm mounted on the lever and a worm wheel xed on the shaft and meshing with the worm, whereby the lever and shaft may be relatively adjusted about the axis of the shaft, said operating element engaging the lever at a point remote from said wor CHARLES H. VINCENT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,882,315 Clayton Oct. 11, 1932 1,902,094 Page Mar. 21, 1.933

FCREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 679,679 Germany Aug. 10, 1939 842,220 France Feb. 27, 1939 

